A device for a shooting game where a player participates in a firefight against enemies displayed on a screen is publicly known. Such a shooting game device causes a player's virtual view position to move to a predetermined fighting point along a path defined in a virtual space and to stop. Enemies appear at the fighting point and engage in a firefight with a player. If the player eliminates the enemy, a player's virtual view position is moved to a next fighting point and a firefight is performed again. These processes are repeated, and scores given on the basis of a player's shooting ability are displayed.
Further, in a shooting game device for use by two players, there is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication 3269797 (hereinafter, JP 3269797) a technique for displaying an image of a virtual space from each player's virtual view position and controlling each player's virtual view position in accordance with game achievements. This publication further discloses that the enemy is moved to enter a player's view in a predetermined case.
In a shooting game system using a virtual space, it is an important game element to reflect a player's intention in content of the game because, by doing so, a player is given a more realistic feeling of a virtual experience. However, the shooting game device disclosed in JP 3269797 automatically switches a player's virtual view position in accordance with game achievements, and, therefore, a player's virtual view position is automatically controlled by the game device. Further, the shooting game device moves a player's virtual view position to a fighting point, and fixes the player's virtual view position at the fighting point, but this feature is the same as a publicly known game shooting device. Thus, no player's intention is reflected with respect to the movement of his/her virtual view position.
Further, in a shooting game device for two players, a player who takes the lead in a virtual space meets the enemy before a following player does. In this case, a leading player has a higher possibility of defeating more enemies, but s/he also has a higher possibility of receiving damages by attacks from enemies. Conversely, a following player has less possibility of being attacked by enemies, but s/he also has less possibility of defeating enemies. Thus, a leading player is high-risk, high-return, and a following player is low-risk, low-return. However, in a conventional game shooting device, to play as a leading or a following player is automatically determined on the basis of game achievements. As a result, a player is not allowed to engage in any tactics such as intentionally giving the lead to the other player depending on emergences of enemies and a number of the remaining bullets.